Monday, March 07, 2011

Goal-setting - when done the right way - can be an enormously empowering and helpful exercise, which is probably why it's part of so many coaching processes as well as some therapies (such as CBT). When I first started setting goals, I used a back of an envelope, which actually wasn't such a bad way to start. These days, though, technology has moved on, and there exist some more sophisticated - and free - tools on the web that can help you achieve your goals. The web isn't just about tools though, it's about people and communities - and that inspired James Shipperlee, author of today's guest article, to create a web tool that is definitely worth checking out.

The Power of Goal Setting

'Cheshire Puss,' she began, rather timidly,as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. `Come, it's pleased so far,' thought Alice, and she went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'

'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.

`I don't much care where--' said Alice.

`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

`--so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.

`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'

Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventurers in Wonderland

Goal setting is used by top achievers in all fields, from elite athletes to successful business people. Formal studies have shown, time and time again, that people who set goals are happier, more motivated and more successful than people who do not set goals. But still, it is estimated that as few as 12% of people make a habit of setting goals in their life.If you want to live a successful and inspired life, goal setting could be one of the most important tools available to you. Listed below are a few of the benefits:1. Life will begin to move in the direction you choose. Consider taking a major car journey - would you do it with no destination in mind? Probably not. Yet it is remarkable how few people set any kind of destination for the greatest journey of all - their life. It is of little wonder that people without goals feel lost, or adrift in life. Goal setting is about thinking about your ideal life, and putting in place the goals and plans to make this happen.2. Your confidence will grow. As you set goals and move towards them, you will begin to realise that you are the creator of your reality, and that you can achieve practically anything you want in life.3. You will be more motivated, more inspired. Your life may not be as you want it yet, but knowing that you are working towards a worthwhile goal or vision will inspire and motivate you.4. In a relatively short space of time, you will accomplish more than many people will achieve in a lifetime.Over the past few years, we have worked with many people to create the life they want through goal setting. We have found that although many people already understand the importance of setting goals, few people set them - and even fewer follow them through. In our experience, this is for a number of reasons, primarily: not having a clear idea of what they want; not knowing how to set effective goals; and not having the right support.In order to address these issues, we have created www.itcanbe.com, a free online goal setting community which is helping people to create the life of their dreams. The site links people together who are working towards the same goals, where they can share their progress, hints, tips, useful videos and success stories. Members can create plans of how they are going to achieve their goal, and share these with others.We know for a fact that as soon as you start setting effective goals and start moving towards them, your life will change for the better. We highly recommend that you start goal setting today and discover these benefits for yourself.